by Desiree Holt
“Let’s go. We’re clear so far, but I’m not taking any chances.”
He took her hand and pulled her toward the parking lot. The lights were still out so she took care not to stumble or trip. Instead of heading for the car, he pulled a set of keys from his pocket and popped the locks on a black SUV.
“What’s this? And why is everything so dark?”
“Our new wheels. Get in. I don’t want to hang around here.” He was backing out of the space before Lisa even had the door closed. “And it’s dark so no one will see us.”
“But what about the car? We can’t just leave it here.”
“Someone will return it to the rental agency tomorrow.” He merged quickly into the traffic on the highway. “We had to ditch the car that Cortez’s people have seen me in twice. And now we’ve got a vehicle we can drive into the jungle plus new cell phones.”
Her stomach was flip-flopping again, and she did her best to contain the fear that kept rising. This whole evening they’d been skating on the razor’s edge of danger. She sensed it in his manner, even though he’d said little. Or perhaps because he’d said little.
She swallowed hard and tried to make her voice calm and even. “So what do we do now, since you said we can’t go back to the hotel?”
“Now we’re going to get the hell out of Dodge.” He shifted in the seat. “Tonio gave me a crude map, but I want to get as far away from here as possible before stopping to take a look at it. We still don’t know who’s behind all of this, and they might have someone scoping things out. I haven’t seen any sign of it except the guy at La Mama’s watching us, but I don’t want to take any chance. Don’t forget. Someone took a shot at us at Manny’s back in Tampa. It has to be connected to this.”
“Forget? How could I forget?” She still couldn’t get the episode out of her mind. Lisa chewed on her fingernail. She’d already destroyed the one on her thumb and had started on the index finger.
“In case someone senses how close we’re getting to the truth about Jamie’s disappearance,” he pointed out, “we need to move as quickly as we can.”
“Okay.” She yanked her finger away from her mouth and leaned back in her seat. “So where are we going now?”
“Playa del Carmen.” He gave her a quick glance. “You should try to get some sleep on the ride.”
“What about you? You must be tired, too.”
He gave her a tight smile, lacking in humor. “I’ve gone a long time without sleep before. I can do it again. Go on. Close your eyes.”
As positive as she was that nerves alone would keep her awake, they hadn’t gone two miles before tension and exhaustion caught up with Lisa and sleep captured her.
****
“You’re so wet.”
Ethan’s fingers slid into her easily, stroking her inner walls and finding the sweet spot that made every nerve fire. She squeezed her thighs together, trapping his hand, demanding that he stroke harder and faster.
His thumb found her clit, rubbing back and forth against the sensitive flesh and sending heat through her veins. Her nipples ached so much she cupped her breasts and pressed her thumbs against them.
Suddenly, he added a third finger, completely filling her aching core. He increased the pace of his strokes, curling his fingers just enough to scrape that hot trigger spot with every thrust.
She pinched her nipples, hard, just as an orgasm flooded through her. She pressed down on his hand and moaned softly.
“You okay? Lisa?”
She sat up abruptly, sucking in a breath. Holy crap! Had she just dreamed of another orgasm with Ethan Caine? And sitting right beside him in this car? The skin on her face felt hot, and she had to fight to control her breathing. Had he seen her? Did he know what was going on?
“I asked if you’re okay,” he repeated.
She glanced over at him, but he didn’t look as if he had any idea what she’d been dreaming. He was his usual stoic self, his face masking any emotion. At least she hadn’t used her own hand to bring herself to orgasm. Had she?
No. She looked down and her clothes were still in place.
“I—I’m fine. Thank you. Sorry. Just dozed off.”
And a whole lot more.
“Okay. Just checking.” His voice sounded gruff. “I know this has been a strain on you.”
You have no idea.
“I’m okay. Really. Thanks for asking.”
To distract herself, she gazed out the passenger window. The sky was the pink of early dawn and a faint breeze stirred the leaves of the banyan trees. They were parked once again in a busy lot bordering the beach, the waves of the Caribbean Sea rolling in just beyond.
She stretched and worked her neck back and forth, trying to relieve the kinks. “What is this place?”
“We’re between the bus station and the ferry on Avenida Quinta. The busiest place in Playa del Carmen. No one will pay attention to us sitting here or wonder what we’re doing.”
“And what are we doing?” She looked at the gear on the seat between them with a curious stare.
“Getting ready.” He pointed at two black boxes that looked like oversized walkie-talkies. “Satellite radios. They’re set on the same frequency as Nick’s. That’s how we’ll communicate.” He picked one up and showed her how it worked. “I’ve set the numbers. This one will connect you to mine. This one dials the number for Nick.” He snorted. “Damn fool. I expected him to send a team in, and he’s decided to lead it himself.”
“Because you’re his friend,” she said in a soft voice. “And you’d do the same for him. What’s the rest of this stuff?” She looked over the back of the seat to the open canvas bag. “Is that camping gear?”
Ethan nodded. “Thermal blankets and tent. Knives for hacking at the underbrush. Some other stuff.”
She started to run her fingers through her hair and realized her head was still trapped in the damn wig. “Can I take this thing off now? I sure can’t wear it in the jungle.”
“Go ahead.” He chuckled, a rusty sound. “I think you’ve suffered enough with it.”
“Thank you,” she breathed and began the process of removing it. When the wig was finally free, she tossed it into the back seat and stuck the bobby pins she’d anchored it with into her purse. Then she pulled out a makeup remover wipe and took as much of the goop off her face as she could.
“We’re going to make a stop at a big box store,” he told her. “You’ll be able to wash your face better there.”
She couldn’t wait. Meanwhile, she ran her hands through her hair, raking it back from her face. Maybe she could also brush the cobwebs out of her brain and think intelligently. “Do we know where we’re going?”
“I’m hoping. I’ve got the map Tonio drew of where the finca is. I’m pretty damn sure that’s where the boy is.”
“Jamie.” She breathed his name.
“Yes. Jamie.” He pulled out the map she had marked lines on. “Now I need to figure out which of these mud tracks will take us the closest without putting us in their sights.”
Lisa’s head was filled with questions, but the edge in Ethan’s voice said I’m busy and I’ll tell you what you need to know when you need to know it. Instead, she took a brush from her purse, ran it through her hair, and pulled out a band to fasten it into a ponytail.
“You’ll need different clothes.”
His voice startled her. She looked down at her skirt and sandals. “I didn’t figure I could go hiking in these. My other stuff is back at the Holiday Inn.”
“As soon as I’m finished with this, we’ll get something to eat and I’ll find that store I mentioned. We both need clothes and supplies, and again, we can’t go back to the hotel. I have jungle food in here, but we need bottled water and some other things.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Jungle food?”
“Granola bars, power bars, stuff like that.” He indicated everything else spread out on the seat. “I have two backpacks here to carry all this stuff with us when we
leave the car. And we’ll need water so we don’t dehydrate.” He looked at his watch. “I’m hoping we can do this in twenty-four hours, but I’ll know better when we get where we’re going. We have to make sure Jamie’s there and then figure out how to snatch him.”
“Oh.” As she listened to him and watched him, Lisa realized that she’d been right earlier in the evening. The more Ethan got into this operation, the more confident and in control he seemed. The pain in his eyes, while still there, wasn’t quite as sharp. And in his demeanor, she could again see the Marine ready for a mission, the agent ready for the special operation.
Not for the first time, she wondered if in saving Jamie, he might in the end save himself. She hoped so, because as the layers he hid behind peeled away, she was startled to realize Ethan Caine was nothing like she’d thought. He was sharp, intelligent, and clever in too many ways to count.
But she’d better not dwell on that. She was already battling shocking and unwanted feelings for him. Neither of them needed any more complications in their lives, and certainly not in this situation.
While Ethan repacked the backpacks, Lisa sat watching people move in and out of the bus station and around the ferry and did her best to keep her nerves under control while her mind raced. None of this made any sense at all. Unless… No. That was too totally farfetched. For a minute, she thought about voicing the weird idea, but she was sure he’d think she was crazy. Wouldn’t he? She kept trying to push it out of her mind, but it bounced right back, like a yoyo on a string, each time hitting harder.
They stopped at a modest-looking restaurant a few blocks down Avenida Quinta and bought breakfast tacos, which they ate in the car. Leaving their gear unguarded didn’t seem like a smart option.
Then Ethan pulled into the parking lot of a big box store and pulled out one of the new cells.
“I’m touching base with Nick while you’re inside.” He handed her a list and some money. “I’ll wait here with the stuff. Change clothes in the restroom after you pay for everything and get rid of the dress and shoes you’re wearing.”
“Throw them away? Why?”
Again the exasperated sigh. “Lisa, could you just not keep asking questions, please? You don’t need any excess to carry on your back. I’ll buy you a damn dress and shoes when we get back to the states.”
“Fine, fine, fine,” she muttered and pushed open her door. She wanted to smack herself for asking stupid questions. He was right. Why did she care about the dress and shoes when they were on their way to rescue Jamie? No wonder he thought she was an idiot.
Washing her face and brushing her hair gave her more relief than she would have imagined. Thirty minutes later, dressed in jeans, T-shirt, running shoes, and socks, hair pulled back in a ponytail, she handed the sacks of purchases to Ethan.
“We’re good to go,” she told him.
“All right. Let’s do it. Here.” He tossed the bags in the back seat and handed her the map Tonio had drawn, along with the one she’d marked. “You’ll have to be the navigator. Don’t make any mistakes and take us on a wrong turn.”
She bit back the smart retort ready to pop out of her mouth and studied the map. She’d prove to him it hadn’t been a mistake to bring her along. Eventually they came to the end of what appeared to be the tourist area, the sandy beaches disappeared and jungle took over. But then her impatience got the best of her. She hated flying blind, and Ethan was not into sharing.
“I know it irritates you when I ask questions, and I’m sorry. I just think I can be of more use to you if I know what’s going on. Can you tell me what Nick said?”
His hands tightened on the wheel, and for a moment, she was afraid he wouldn’t answer her. Then he nodded. “It’s hard for me to know what to share with a greenhorn, but I suppose you’re right. All arrangements are still in place. He’s just waiting for a signal from us.”
“What arrangements?”
“Those you’ll see when the time comes. Right now, I need you to be my navigator. Concentrate on that.”
She looked down at the map. “The road Tonio marked should be coming up in just a little bit. There.” She pointed. “Right there. Turn left.”
“Anyone who calls this a road is stretching things,” he grumbled.
And indeed, he was right. It was little more than a dirt track, worn down by other vehicles that had taken this turn and barely visible through the dense vegetation. They moved deeper into the jungle proper, following dirt roads and evading mud holes and fallen tree limbs. All around them was a thick growth of strange plants and trees that were home to multitudes of climbing animals and birds of every color. Sometimes, she got the feeling they were being swallowed up by a giant green hand.
For the next half hour, Ethan drove and she called out directions. The going was very slow, and Lisa called on every bit of discipline to rein in her impatience. Every so often, they passed a narrower road that veered off to the left.
“Where do those go?” she asked.
“Plantations. People’s homes. Whatever.”
“I can’t imagine people living out here. My God, you’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“Very few people do. Most of the residential area is on the coast where there’s a natural rock seawall. But I would imagine, for people who want total anonymity and privacy, this is as good a place to get it as any.” He stopped at a tiny clearing and took Tonio’s map from her, smoothing it out on the steering wheel. “Okay. We’ll stash the car here.”
“This is it?” Lisa looked out the window. “This is where we’re stopping?”
“You don’t find the Ritz out here.” He sounded disgusted. “We’re here to rescue your son, not have a vacation. And I don’t want to drive too close. That all right with you?”
“Yes,” she snapped. “I know that. Okay. And you don’t have to keep biting my head off. This is fine. Whatever. And then we hike, right?”
Ethan actually grinned. “And then we hike.”
“But…” She held up a hand, palm outward. “I know. No buts. Except I have to ask. We’re just leaving the car here? How do we know it’ll still be here when we’re ready to leave?”
“We don’t. If it is, it means we accomplished our mission without much conflict. Otherwise, we’ll be leaving by other means.” He folded the crude map and stuck it back in his pocket. Then he set the burglar alarm on the SUV, and they climbed out with their gear. In moments, they’d covered the vehicle with vegetation he hacked from the surrounding area and netting he’d pulled from the cargo space. Then he filled a backpack for each of them with bottled water, power bars, a satellite radio, and their weapons.
“I’ll take the tent gear.” He pulled out a GPS. “Do you know how to use one of these puppies?”
“Yes. Charles showed me how to use one on a trip we took before…before things fell apart.”
“Good. Okay. Tonio said the place is at least two miles in from this road, in this direction. I want to camp far enough away so we don’t attract attention.” He traced a line with his finger, then punched in some coordinates on each of them. “We’ll use these to keep track of our direction. Stay right behind me and make as little noise as possible. All right, let’s get moving.”
A terrible screech, like chalk on a board magnified a thousand times, split the air.
Lisa jumped, barely suppressing her own scream. “What was that? My God, it sounds like someone’s being tortured.”
Ethan grinned again, and she thought how different he looked when he did.
“Howler monkeys. They’re all around us. You’ll hear them all the time so get used to them.”
She swallowed hard and took deep breaths to calm her racing pulse, convinced she’d never get used to a sound like that.
They walked for more than an hour, shafts of blazing heat from the sun piercing the thick jungle growth. The air was heavy with the rich scent of tropical flowers and the symphony of sounds made by myriads of colorful birds. Now she knew where Ethan had acquire
d the habit of wearing his disreputable straw hat, and she was glad she’d thought to buy a baseball cap when she got the clothes.
She had no idea how he even found footing for them as they made their way through thick vines and giant roots. When the foliage was too dense, he took the sharp knife hanging from his belt and simply hacked a pathway for them.
At last, he came to a stop in a small clearing. Mopping the sweat from her face with the hem of her T-shirt, she began to understand why he’d taken the time for his week of boot camp. This was a little more than jogging along Bayshore Boulevard.
“I don’t want to go any farther,” he told her. “We’re about a mile from the perimeter of the finca so we’re far enough away to avoid detection and close enough to get to an observation spot.” He took off his backpack and the portable tent, hung binoculars around his neck, and put his hat back on. “And I need to see what’s going on. Where’s your gun?”
Lisa obligingly removed it from her backpack and checked to make sure there was a round in the chamber.
“All right,” he said. “Don’t take your hand off it until I get back. Stay here while I scout things out.”
Before she could say a word, he was gone, so silent only the things he left behind assured her he’d even been there. Another skill she was sure made him so valuable. She leaned back against the tree trunk to capture the shade from the leaves and stretched out her legs to relieve her aching muscles. The gun stayed on her lap, her finger on the trigger guard. The hot air surrounded her like thick cloth, and she spent much of her time brushing away the infinite variety of bugs that thought she might make an interesting meal.
Being alone in the jungle, every sound and movement was magnified. She hated sitting here waiting, yet she was smart enough to know she would only have slowed Ethan down. Let him scout the area, do his recon, and bring back the information.
Please, God, let him see Jamie.
She couldn’t believe they might actually be this close to him. Close to rescuing him.
Reaching into the pocket of her jeans with her free hand, she pulled out the tiny snapshot of Jamie she’d carried since the day he was taken. It was from his last birthday, and the innocent smile on his face cut into her already bleeding heart.